CompuServe Messages

Can you please post this note. I'm new using CompuServe and not sure how to get it to the widest number of people. Thanks. I would be very interested in hearing from anyone who is modeling and animating very life-like human faces and hands. I plan on purchasing an SGI Indigo II, and either Alias or SoftImage or ?. PROJECT: Suppose I wanted to model & animate two people sitting at a table talking to each other. I want this scene, especially the facial mouth movements and gestures, to be as life-like as possible. What package, SoftImage or Alias, do you think is better for this project and why? Should I be looking at another package? Is the Alias NURBS modeler required to get a very detailed face? What is the best way to capture facial movements and gestures? I hear Alias V6 has channels, is anyone using this in conjunction with motion capture hardware? Has Alias caught up to SoftImage concerning animation ease/power? Are there any companys out there that make reasonably priced motion capture hardware that I could purchase (e.g. less than 20K) or am I going to have to rent equipment?